21st Avenue Bar & Grill

BarFly's Review of 21st Avenue Bar & Grill

A somewhat generic 21st Ave choice, especially with classics like Wimpy's, O'Briens and Muu-muus nearby. Still, though if all you need is a quick drink and a place to sit, it's good, especially if you grab a seat on the gorgeous, lushly landscaped back patio (check the koi ponds). Beware, though, rumor has it the service can be downright mean.

Reader Reviews

21st Avenue Bar & Grill has
4
out of 5
based on 1 ratings and
14 user reviews.

Not bad!

I went there tonight as the first stop on a pub crawl. I must say inside... not so nice, but the patio is amazing!
Our waitress was awesome, prompt, really nice and good with conversation and jokes. I must say those are some stiff drinks!!! I say capital AWESOME! Must go!

Reviewed Anonymously by Trish on September 4, 2011, 3:30 am

Delightful Time, Beatiful Patio

Wow, lot's of bad reviews for this place. However, I suspect the one about dead grasshoppers, the mob, and cigar smoking 3 year olds just might be fake. Entertaining review though. EIther way, I experienced non of that when I was there last week. While I agree the bar is in a somewhat state of disrepair, it's not terrible. The restaurant part is nicer, and the back patio (if you can find it) is incredible. I've heard about this patio for some time now, so me and a friend decided to check it out. It really is what everybody raves about at this place. It has a koi pond with water lilies, a tiny stream and waterfall, beautiful plants, and even a small zen type garden in the corner complete with bamboo. Our waitress was prompt and pleasant. Three quarters through my drink a bug decided to get buzzed (ha) with me, it happens. I ordered another beer, not mentioning the bug, when she came back with another beer she told me that it was on the house because of the little party crasher. Overall we found it to be really quite delightful. Perhaps it's under new management? Either way we found it to be nothing like the reviews listed here.

Abe

Reviewed Anonymously by Abe on July 2, 2009, 3:31 pm

bad service

I like the food but the place is as dark and dingy as them come and the service is terrible.
It takes forever to get your food and it definetly is not delivered with a smile.

Reviewed Anonymously by anonymous on October 26, 2008, 7:46 pm

I miss Seafood Mama's

I remember when Matt (the owner) bought this place back in the 90's. It used to be a funky dive with great service, stiff drinks, and a fun local crowd. Then Matt came. I remember asking him if he was going to change the name and he told me yes, "The 21st Avenue bar and Grill." I told him that was a pretty dull, not to mention obvious, name and recommended he leave the name alone. He stopped talking to me then and I guess the grudge continues. I kept going to the bar for a long time anyway, since I lived up the street and I was good friends with the bartender. Then the bartender left and service and quality all went downhill.
I eventually moved out of the state. I got married and brought my wife to visit my hometown and I wanted to show her the lovely back patio of my old bar. We went in and one of the servers recognized me so I asked if we could go to the back. He said it was closed but he could sneak me in. As we were walking back, Matt got in my wife's face, yelling "what the fuck is this? where the fuck are you going?" She was mortified and we didn't stick around.
Two years after that, we moved back to Portland and live just up the street. We reluctantly sat at a sidewalk table the other night since everyplace was packed. Service is still slow, the beer is still warm, and the crowd has deteriorated from friendly locals to rowdy coked-up suburbanites looking to score. Such a sad state of afairs for what was once the coolest bar in town. Matt will burn in hell.

Reviewed Anonymously by loftysm on August 17, 2008, 1:31 pm

sex with a cheeseburger

So this place has a couple of things going for it. First, they got the best mother F*$ing cheeseburger that I have ever ate in my entire life, and Iíve had some pretty F*&ing good cheeseburgers in my time. Complete with Tillamook cheddar and a side of fries. Second, I got some action the first time I set foot in this place. What could be better environment where you consume a F%@ing good burger, down some alcoholic beverages, then take the ladies home for some horizontal Olympic training.

when visiting to explore the town, this was the one place that made me feel right at home, so much so that i resolved that if i took an apartment there i'd get one at the Irving St Towers so i could hang there everyday. totally clicked with the bartenders, who knew their beer, down-to-earth patrons to bs with while getting faced, and lovely art installation depicting lesbian erotica while i was there (loved "checkers"). also bonus points for the loops on the picnic tables outside to which to chain your slave (or other pet) while dining.

Reviewed Anonymously by susan 28 on October 15, 2006, 6:24 pm

service people

Nice backyard, good food, but really, they need some fresh faces in there. Had an encounter with the owner and he has an anger issue, and I am embarrassed for him.

Reviewed Anonymously by sabrina on July 4, 2006, 11:37 am

Avoid this place

This was really scary. I foolishly put my ATM card in the wrong slot in the bar's machine and it got stuck. I asked the bartenders if they could help, and one even offered me $20 for my cab ride, which was why I needed the cash. I went to pick up my card today and the owner had a half-page typed letter attached to the card berating me for my stupidity, rudeness to his staff and musing about how he would have preferred to dress me down in person. The letter is freakin' psycho. This guy is nuts, as so many have commented!

Reviewed Anonymously by Pic on May 21, 2006, 5:43 pm

Absolutely dreadful

What a disaster! When we arrived (we were a party of four) the manager took one look at us and said, 'Oh for crying out loud, I've told you bums before. You want drink here, you pay for it!' We were bemused; none of us had ever been in the place before (and, I might add, we won't be going again). We pointed out to the manager that he must have mistaken us for someone else, but he cut us short with, 'WhatEVER! You guys REEK!' And with an outrageously camp wave of his hand, he flounced off to the bar.

You'd think, given this dismal reception, we'd have thought twice about staying. However - and call us gluttons for punishment if you like - curiosity got the better of us, and we decided to stay.

Big mistake. The manager's attitude was just the tip of the iceberg. Over the next forty-five minutes, we experienced a catalogue of misery, including:

Warm, flat beer served in filthy glasses with a dead grasshopper in one;

A table which collapsed as soon as one glass was placed on it (prompting a torrent of abuse from the manager);

A waiter who would only speak in Klingon and insisted we do the same;

A visit from the local mob, who caused chaos when the manager told them to get lost;

And a foul-mouthed three-year-old smoking a cigar who demanded that we buy it drink and threw an almighty strop when we refused.

Needless to say, I don't recommend this place to anyone. A man dressed as Hitler going into a cafe of a synagogue would get better service.

Reviewed Anonymously by Uruguay on March 29, 2006, 11:26 am

Its like the Soup Nazi

Not a bad place to enjoy a drink or two with friends. A pretty good stop after the Gypsy and Mu-Mu's. Always some interesting people who are quick to strike up a conversation. Cool outside patio in the summer. Service is kind of soup nazi like... Just order, shut up, put your money out and walk away.

Reviewed Anonymously by Non-"shirt" guy on October 25, 2005, 1:29 pm

21 A-OK

I've been to this bar many, many times. I dig the staff, they dig me. I dig their drinks, their drinks dig me. I'd say 50% of the customers are complete morons, so that's probably why anyone has ever been "yelled at" in this bar. I give it three thumbs up.

Reviewed Anonymously by Scoobs on August 12, 2005, 4:22 pm

Worst service ever

Okay - so they have a really nice deck, but honestly I will never go back there again. The manager yelled at us for asking if we could move two tables together - he was so out of line we walked out of the place as he was still yelling. So not worth it! I will never spend another dollar there!

Reviewed Anonymously by Alicia on March 23, 2005, 4:46 pm

b4 the new

used to be a sweet place mid-late nineties when it was the place in the area open latest and no newconstruction shit to pay for...

Reviewed Anonymously by plaid on March 3, 2005, 8:50 pm

Horrible horrible service

I went there with some friends - we were being completely mellow - and the manager/resident prick was so rude - he actually yelled at us - we threw money down on the table and walked out. Stay away from this place! Horrible horrible customer service! I guess I should feel sorry for the owner as I suspect he's got a small dick but maybe with his overpriced drinks he bought himself a big truck and he's okay with it. Except when he acts like an ass for no reason.

The girls there weren't that cute anyways.

Reviewed Anonymously by Al on January 16, 2005, 9:33 pm

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